Manipur: After over a week's closure, regular classes to resume in educational institutions

Imphal: After more than a week of closure, regular classes in all educational institutions, including schools and universities would resume from Monday, an official said here on Sunday.

The official said that Director of Education (Schools) L. Nandakumar Singh and Joint Secretary (Higher and Technical Education Department), Daryal Juli Anal in separate orders asked all the district and zonal level officers to take appropriate steps to resume the classes of all government, private, government-aided educational institutions including colleges and universities from Monday.

Earlier, the Director of Education (Schools) and the Higher and Technical Education Department, in separate orders in view of the escalating violence in Manipur, especially in the valley districts closed the educational institutions from November 16 and till November 23.

The Education Departments, in consultation with the Home Department have decided to resume the normal classes in all the educational institutions, the official said.

He said that considering the safety of the students, teachers and non-teaching staff, all the government and government-aided educational institutions, including state universities were closed till November 23, especially in five valley districts -- Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur, and Kakching.

Officials said that with no major incident reported from any of the five districts, curfew was relaxed during the past few days for several hours in the day time to facilitate the people to purchase essential items and carry out other essential work.

Meanwhile, the Manipur Home Department extended the suspension of mobile Internet and data services in seven districts till Monday evening as a precautionary measure.

Officials of the Home Department said that though no incident was reported from any of the seven districts, as a precautionary measure, the suspension of mobile Internet and data services has been extended till November 25.

The seven districts, comprising both the valley and hills, are Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur.